Week 30 + 31 Food, Stress,and Rock’n’Roll

Well, here we are again, almost weeks after my last post. I had started a week 30 update but didn’t finish it.  Then last week came and went.  I figure I could just try to through a different, shorter recap together and call it a day.  One day I’ll be consistent.  Or not, ha!  I don’t have anyone really knocking down my door anyway so it’s all good.

 

Food

The last few weeks I’ve made a change in my diet. I have been thinking about it for quite some time now but just didn’t know how to make a change.  Food is so important and I am constantly searching for the right way to eat for me.  For example:

1. I don’t know how much I need to eat to lose weight
2. I don’t know how much I need to eat to train / fuel properly
3. I don’t really know what my macros should be
4. I don’t really like dieting in general but…
5. I “need” to lose weight if I want to improve my running

 

Because I’m not new to the weight loss quest I have done a lot of reading and research over the years. I actually considered for a millisecond to go back to Weight Watchers so that I could get a bit of a grip again, get some structure and have a group to be accountable to… but then I remembered that Weight Watchers really has no idea how to advise athletes.  Yes, athletes.  I may be slightly tubby but I AM AN ATHLETE.

That means I need to eat like one. Losing weight and training do NOT mix very well.  I am living proof of that (I stay the same pretty much, no matter what).

I thought I would try to go to an “expert”, get some guidance and have someone to be accountable to. Before I went I tried to check what my TDEE should be – three different sites and three different outcomes later, I decided that I’d go with the middle figure and it was higher than my suggested daily calorie intake at MFP.  I have had a suspicion for some time that this suggestion is too low so I believe that now to be true.

I went to the “expert” (I quote because I have seen so many and I don’t really believe anyone knows what they are talking about) and already I’m a little disappointed because he’s young and he’s not finished yet with his schooling. He did however calculate my TDEE for weight loss to be exactly the middle figure I choose for MFP.  I need to use another app (ugh) and enter my food daily and this has been slightly irritating because all my food is in MFP and a lot of what I eat is NOT in the other app.  First world problems, I know.

The first week I filled it in about 70% and incredibly enough I did lose a little bit of weight, my body fat % went down and my muscle weight went up. According to his scale.  I am not sure yet if I am going to return.  We shall see.

Just to make it more challenging, the thing I wanted to change in my diet most? I want to step away from animal products.  Rather, I want to eat humanely treated and quality animal products.  I want to get more of my protein from plants and spend more money on quality meat rather than paying less to eat meat every day.  And I definitely do not want lunch meat or any processed crap anymore if I can help it.  I don’t want to become nazi-like about it,  I would say I’m becoming a Flexitarian.

So now I’m trying to lose weight, fuel my training and changing what I eat. I can’t just do one thing at a time!  Ha!

Over the last few weeks I’ve found other things I can eat instead of animal (by-) products. I’m not completely off eggs, but, for example, I’ve not had any dairy milk for two weeks.  I’ve had very little cheese.  I’ve had lunch meat one time.  I’ve found vegetarian / vegan options for dinner and have eaten a shit ton (no pun intended… or maybe a little bit haha!) of protein rich vegetables, nuts, beans, etc.

What I’m discovering on the positive is that I feel physically very good. My tiredness is from not sleeping and not that afternoon sluggishness I often have after sandwiches for lunch. Also, I often have a kind of blocked feeling in my sinuses and throat; especially in the morning but often if I’ve had milk or cheese throughout the day.  I noticed the other day I hardly was having the “frog in my throat” feeling I usually have in the morning.   Something on the negative side though, I’m not sure I’m a huge fan of soy milk products so finding a replacement for my yoghurt has been tricky.

I’ve also been pleasantly surprised that it’s quite easy to through a protein rich meal together though it is taking me more time to come up with something each day for lunch/ snacks.

Anyway, stay tuned on the food thing.   I’m going on holiday to Turkey very soon and I’ve already asked my Turkish colleague for vegetarian/ vegan options while I’m there.  She’s so sweet, she even sent pictures with the name of the food so I know what to look for!

 

Stress

Once again stress that I can’t talk about much on the blog has taken over my life and I’m having trouble sleeping. I’m so sick of it.  It’s not helping how I feel mentally.  I have tried listening to podcasts, music or white noise and I just stay awake and I can feel my heart pounding.  I have been taking CBD capsules (not vegetarian/ vegan so want to look into that further) and that helps me at least relax a little (I had the oil but the taste is so RANK).  Last night I finally fell asleep listening to “This American Life” podcast.  My stress relates to challenges of being a step-parent, nothing earth shattering and certainly no issues with me and my love (and that’s most important to me at the end of it all), just stuff I need to work on / process/ and change.  Change is never easy, even when totally necessary and when known that your life will be better if you do so.

 

Rock ‘n’ Roll

The past two weekends have not only been about running as per usual, but I’ve seen U2 in Amsterdam with the hubs and Marilyn Manson with two friends in Utrecht. For a long time we hardly went to any concerts because of running and races and this year is filled with gigs!  And even more to come!  This makes me very happy but is not helping my hearing very much! Haha!

 

But most importantly on this topic – ROCK N ROLL DUBLIN IS THIS WEEKEND! I am working on letting go of unrealistic expectations of myself and I plan to just have a good time with Babette.  We leave today, the 5K is on Saturday and the Half is on Sunday.  And I will be Flexitarian for sure while I’m there!

So, let me ask you – are you vegetarian or vegan?
do you know what your TDEE is approximately?
What’s the last concert you went to?